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HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs knocked out Mike Marrone in the second round Saturday night.
The 43-year-old Briggs (56-6-1, 52 KOs) has eight straight victories since returning to the ring in April 2014 after a four-year absence. He outclassed Marrone (21-6) from the opening seconds of the scheduled 10-round bout at Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena.
Late in the first round, Briggs floored Marrone with a right to the head. Utilizing a lead left jab, Briggs continued to back up Marrone and scored with a right to the head and left to the body that sent Marrone to the canvas a second time. Marrone couldn't beat referee Sam Burgos' count and the fight was stopped at 2:52.
Briggs took the ring microphone after the fight and challenged current champion Wladimir Klitschko, who sat at ringside. Klitschko and other heavyweight champions of the past 30 years attended the bout.
"I'm going to stay busy," Briggs said. "Hopefully, we come back in three or four months here and do it again."
Other former heavyweight champions who attended the show included Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko, who pummeled Briggs in a 12-round decision in 2010 that resulted in Briggs' lengthy absence. Briggs won the World Boxing Organization belt in 2006, but lost it in his first defense the following year.
Briggs weighed in at 251 pounds, and Marrone at 238.
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